In 2014, Thor is the new Superman

by Chip Zdarsky, comic illustrator and the guy who talks to Applebees on Facebook

I don’t really care about Superman and you don’t really care about Superman, so why did last summer’s modern reboot, Man of Steel, upset me and others? There’s a public fondness for Christopher Reeves’ classic “aw-shucks-spandex” portrayal from 1978, but most people would agree that our modern tastes wouldn’t be too accepting of the old-fashioned flawless farmer Superman. So, yeah, he needed an update. But the resulting nihilistic dud, last summer’s Man of Steel from hollow director Zach Snyder and dark, meandering producer Christopher Nolan was as fun as a fire in a Planet Hollywood: destruction and sadness burning away any goodwill brought in through nostalgia.

We were treated to Henry Cavill’s dour Superman, raised to not help anyone, and Amy Adams’ Lois Lane, devoid of charm and saddled with clunky dialogue where she has to tell people she’s a Pulitzer-winning journalist so people will realize she’s a good journalist. The relentlessly bleak movie culminates with wild disregard for human life in a grim, destructive finale that went on forever and ended with (SPOILERS) Superman slaughtering his adversary, crying and screaming to an unjust god amidst a city he helped destroy.